Terror of the Night
by AdorningLives
Summary: Steph knew she was never normal. But she had no idea she was this terrifying. Rated for mild language from Wolverine.
1. Pyro

Steph glanced around, hoping no one she knew was around to see her. How she got herself into this mess she didn't know. How to get out would prove to be an even bigger challenge.

Assuring herself that she knew no one, Steph walked into the 711. She kept her gaze low, being careful not to make eye contact with anyone. With one thing on her mind, Steph made her way to the sunglasses rack. After trying on a dozen or so, she found the perfect pair for her. They were cute, looked good on her, and were dark enough to completely hide her eyes.

Satisfied, Steph took the pair to the register where a heavy, middle-aged woman was working behind the counter. Steph had seen her every time she had entered for a drink or snack, the woman was always there. But thankfully Steph didn't know her on a personal level.

Steph tossed the shades onto the counter and grabbed her wallet from her backpack. As the woman rang up the shades, Steph looked around, as if interested in all of the items. But she had been through this store plenty of times. It was the only 711 in the small town of Lovettsville. Old, run down, and dull, Steph had spent the last sixteen years of her life living here. But no more. With her dad's old pickup truck and a tank full of gas, she was more than ready to leave her childhood behind her for good.

Steph's eyes turned to the television above the counter on the wall. It was showing the Live News of several people speaking against and for the mutant registration. Steph turned away, knowing in she couldn't watch. Even though everything told her to deny it, her heart spoke clearly; she was a mutant. Not something she was proud of, but nothing she could do could change that.

The woman handed her the receipt and bag. She took them, eager to get out of that store and away from this town. As she made her way to her truck, Steph figured she should feel a pang or sense of regret, but there was nothing. She felt nothing of leaving. Nothing anyone could say to her at this moment would cause her to stay. And she was fine with that.

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Several hours later, Steph cruised down the highway, paying close attention to what she was doing. With the radio playing softly around her, she tried not to think about the reason she was leaving. Besides the fact that both her parents were dead and she lived with an aunt who never looked at her, Steph couldn't take her life anymore. She hated school, had no job, no friends and therefore, no social life, and nothing in this world could help her acquire the "skills" she needed in life. Steph's life sucked and she was going to get as far away from it as she could if she had to go to Antarctica to do so.

Something up ahead on the side of the road caught her eye and caused Steph to stare. She couldn't tell what it was so she pulled over. She parked thirty or so yards away. She got out of the truck and jogged up to it. As she got closer, Steph could see it was a body. Slowing, she wondered if she should approach it or not. Steph's curiosity got the better of her. She slipped on her new shades and walked up next to the body.

When she reached it, Steph saw that it was a boy. He looked about her age with medium length, light brown hear. He was casually dressed in a T-shirt, jacket, and baggy jeans. Steph thought for a moment that he was fairly good-looking.

She was about to check to see if he was alright when his eyes flickered. When he was her, he bolted upright, demanding, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Steph stared at him, knowing he was unable to see her eyes.

"I was going to ask you the same question," she responded coolly. "But since you did first, I'll answer. My name is Steph Reynolds. I was just driving along when I saw you lying on the side of the road." She paused for a second. "I thought you might be hurt."

"Well I'm not, so you can leave me alone." He turned away from her as if to walk off. Then, suddenly realizing where he was, turned back and asked, "You don't happen to know where we are, do you?"

Steph rolled her eyes even though he couldn't see them.

"This is Wancester County, Maryland. What happened to you to cause you to not know where you are?"

The boy stuck his hands into his pockets and didn't reply right away. Steph stood with her arms crossed, waiting patiently.

"It's complicated," he finally answered. Steph raised an eyebrow but didn't push him.

The two stood there awkwardly. One car passed them on this nearly deserted highway. Steph glanced at her watch. She really needed to be going.

"Look," she began, "if you need a ride to the nearest stop, I can take you—"

"That's okay," he interrupted. "I can walk."

Steph laughed. "Good luck with that! The nearest stop is nine miles away!"

He swore under his breath then looked up at her silently pleading. Steph waited for him to ask.

"Well, if it's not too much trouble," he muttered.

With a nod back toward her truck, Steph started walking. The boy's footsteps followed. As they approached, she suddenly spun around. "Before you get in," she said, "I think I deserve to know your name."

"John," he said after a slight pause. "John Allerdyce."

"Nice to meet you, John," Steph said. The two got into the truck and she started the engine. "Oh," she said with another quick thought. John looked at her, his hand stopped before buckling his seatbelt.

"If you even think about rape, I've got raid and a gun under my seat."

He glanced to see if she was joking then nodded solemnly. "No problem," he said, but Steph got the feeling there was something else to him hidden under all of his pride.

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"So," Steph began once they had been on the road for a good five or so minutes in silence. "How did you end up on the side of Route 95?"

John didn't answer at first. He seemed to be trying to figure out just how much he wanted to tell her.

"It's really complicated," he finally said. "But I was on my way to New York if that'll satisfy you."

Steph couldn't help but look surprised. That was where she was headed! She turned partially to tell him so when the car suddenly was hit by a huge bolt of lightning. The airbags deployed with a loud THWOMP! It took the teens almost a full minute to regain their composures. When Steph figure it was safe, she looked over to John. The airbags were deflating and he was rubbing his nose, in a small state of shock.

"Are you alright?"

John nodded. Steph noticed that her sunglasses were cracked in on lens. The other was gone completely.

She pulled them off gently, not knowing if she was injured or not. As she pulled them away, Steph noticed blood on tome of the frames. She touched her hand to her brow and drew it away bloody.

_Great,_ she thought. Steph was about to reach for a tissue when she smelled two things: gasoline and smoke.

Her eyes darted to the hood of the car. It was smoking. Panic set in.

"Get out!" she ordered and threw open the truck door. John followed suit as the flames began dancing. The two found themselves in the woods, but hardly looked around. The entire front of Steph's truck was on fire.

But the vehicle was the least of her concerns. Steph was about to say that they should get into the woods before the car exploded, when John stretched his hand toward it. Immediately, the flames started to go down.

Steph watched in amazement. John was a mutant? She always knew she wasn't the only one, but had never met any.

When the fire was out, John turned to her, an almost angry expression on his face.

"If you're not a mutant, tell me now," John said. For the first time, Steph noticed a small device attached to his right hand. With a soft fwoof, a flame ignited in his palm.

Without thinking, Steph's lips formed the word, "Pyro."

John blinked and the flame extinguished. "How did you know my name?" he asked, bewildered.

Steph faced him, eyes cast down. "I'm a mutant," she whispered.


	2. The XMen

**My second chapter. It's short, I know. The next one will be longer, I promise. I may have to work on this a little, but we'll see. Comments are welcomed and any little things that could be changed.**

**AdorningLives**

**P.S. Anyone who has not seen X-Men 3 should not read this.**

* * *

John's face showed instant relief, but only for a moment. He frowned a little and asked, "You're not going to New York to go to Xavier's School for the Gifted, are you?"

Steph shook her head, confused. "I was going to see if I could find Dr. Hank McCoy. I learned on the news that he was a mutant and was living in New York."

Pyro laughed dryly. "McCoy, huh? The Beast? Oh, he's in New York alright. He lives at the school I mentioned."

He said something else, but Steph wasn't listening. Four shadowy figures had just come through the trees to where John and Steph stood. All of the were dressed in similar outfits made of black leather that clung to their bodies. One of them was a dark-skinned woman with shoulder-length white hair. The man standing next to her was tall and rugged-looking with brown hair and a short beard. His appearance resembled that of a wild animal. With the two adults were two teenagers Steph's age. The girl was petite with soft, brown hair pulled back in a short ponytail. Steph thought she was quite pretty. The boy was tall and good-looking with light brown hair only a couple of inches long. Steph couldn't help but wonder if he was dating anyone.

The woman stepped forward, staring at Steph, who avoided all eye contact. She then turned to John, who was looking smug.

"Well, well, well," John said with a slight chuckle. "If it isn't the X-Men. Come to take me in?"

The other boy's face darkened and his fists clenched. The girl touched his arm gently and chook her head.

"John," the woman said, "we came because your friend here is in danger, not to start something with you. But if you care to come back to school, you're welcome to join us."

_In danger?_ Steph's eyebrows shot up, but the woman only glanced at her.

John smirked and threw a sideways glance at Steph. "She's not my friend," he said. "But feel free to take her. I'm sure she'd love to live in an animal house."

Before she could stop herself, Steph whirled and stared at him in the eyes. A vision flashed in her mind of an army of American soldiers marching. Their purpose: to annihilate every mutant in the country. There was a large group of mutants in the path of the army. John was the leader.

One of the soldiers at the front lifted a plastic gun, _not_ a toy, to John's chest and fired. A small syringe hit his chest and he fell to the ground, no longer a mutant, but one of them.

Steph shut her eyes and turned away, the vision still partially in her mind.

"What the hell?" the man asked angrily. "What was with all the yelling and flailing?"

Steph opened her eyes and glanced out of the corner of her eye at John. The man and woman held him tightly to keep him from running off in terror. Not that he could have anyway.

"I'm sorry," Steph said, her voice shaking. Everyone stared at her, the man the hardest.

"I can't control it," she tried to explain. "I look into someone's eyes, see their deepest fears and they become an almost alive factor in the person's mind…as well as mine."

John's cool composure had left him and all that was left was a cowering boy afraid to look at anything yet unable to focus on one object.

The woman glanced at the man, who gave her a suspicious look.

"Take him back to the jet," she said, trying to keep calm. The two teens stared at John in horror as the man led – dragged, is more like it – him away.

"I'm Ororo Munroe," the woman said, turning back to Steph and sticking her hand out to her. "But most people call me Storm." Steph shook her hand, being extra careful to keep her gaze low.

"This is Kitty and Bobby." The teens stepped up to her. Kitty smiled and Bobby nodded, his eyes casually running over her body. Steph's gaze nearly met his in a warning. He got the hint, and looked away.

"I'm Steph," she said, unconsciously wrapping her arms around her.

Storm looked at her warmly. "Steph, we have reason to believe that you are in great danger and have come to see if you'll consider coming to the school with us so you can be safe."

"How would you know that?" Steph couldn't help but begin to feel suspicious of these people. Who were they to tell her she should go with them?

"One of the mutants at the school told us," Kitty responded. "She's a telepath."

"Psychic?"

"Yes."

Steph nodded and bit the inside of her cheek. Could she trust these people? They seemed to be truthful and kind, but for Wolverine. But Steph had always had trouble keeping the trust of others. Would it be the same with them?

"So," she began, "what do I have to do? What's the catch?"

"There's no catch," Storm said calmly, but she looked slightly concerned. If they took her in, they would have to be careful that Steph had protective lenses for her eyes. Maybe some of Scott's old shades…

"But we would have to make sure it's ok with your family for you to stay," she added.

Steph looked at the ground. "I don't have any family," she said softly. "My parents are dead and my aunt…" She paused and lifted her head. "Well, let's just say she doesn't care about what I do or where I go."

Storm nodded. Kitty, though, looked a little pale.

"Are you interested in coming with us?" Storm asked. A gentle breeze ruffled her hair a little, causing white strands to swirl around her face. Her brown eyes, which reminded Steph of a puppy's, were comforting. Steph knew that even if she could trust no one else, she could trust Storm.

"Yes," she replied, a small smile forming on her lips. "I would like to come to your school for mutants. But I'm not promising I'll stay for long."

"Oh, you may change you mind," Storm said smiling. "We'll just have to wait and see."


	3. New Life

**This will probably be my last chapter before school starts up again. I will try to write as much as I can, but I'm warning you that it will be a while.**

**Thanks for all the support and comments! I really appreciate it.**

**AdorningLives**

* * *

Steph followed the three after she had grabbed her things from her truck. She had asked what to do about the vehicle, but Storm just told her they'd pick it up later.

As they wound their way through the woods, Steph found herself in the company of Bobby. Storm and Kitty were walking several yards ahead of them and could not hear the conversation that followed.

"So how did you find out you were a mutant?" Bobby asked after a few minutes of walking together. Steph could do nothing to hide her surprise and answer, "I've never been asked that before."

"Does that mean you won't tell?"

Steph shrugged. "I didn't think you had such an interest in peoples' life stories."

Bobby shrugged back. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"Good. I don't."

When they reached the intended clearing, Steph found herself staring at a long, black jet, nearly filling the clearing. Its surface was clean and gleamed in the sunlight as its body sat basking in all its wonder.

Steph paused in front of it to take it all in. _This guy Xavier must be rich or something,_ she thought.

The ramp was down when they arrived. A dark haired girl stepped down as they approached. She was fair skinned, wearing skimpy clothes that clung to her body in ways Steph did not want to try and understand.

She trotted over to Bobby, who wrapped his arm around her waist. They were obviously a couple.

The girl looked at Steph and held out a hand to her.

"Hi, I'm Marie," she said, her voice thick with a southern accent. Steph shook her hand. "Steph."

"Nice to meet you. Are you coming to live at the school?"

Steph shrugged, unsure. Marie took a step forward, shortening the distance between them, and placed a reassuring hand on Steph's arm. "You'll find what you're looking for soon." With a quick glance at Bobby, she added quietly, "I know I did."

Bobby's face reddened. He'd obviously heard. Marie looked like she was going to say more but Storm ordered everyone on board so they could leave.

Steph followed Kitty up the ramp with Bobby and Marie behind her. Kitty led her to the back where she helped Steph store her things. The two then make their way up to the front where Strom sat at the controls.

As they passed a couple of seats, Steph saw John strapped down in on. His eyes were vacant and empty and looked to be in a daze. Steph turned away.

Kitty sat down in one of the seats. "Here," she offered the seat across from her. "You can sit by me."

"Thanks." Lowering herself, Steph smiled at Kitty, knowing that, if she didn't find any other friends at the school, Kitty would be there to help her in any way.

Bobby and Marie came and sat behind them a few moments later. Marie sat behind Kitty's seat and started conversing with her. Something about Peter something-or-other almost breaking some of the dinner plates and then not being allowed to train in the simulation room for a week. Steph had no idea what they were talking about so she just stared out the window beside her.

"Everyone buckle up!" Storm called back to them. As Steph fussed with her straps, she felt someone brush past her. She glanced up to see Wolverine join Storm at the controls. It seemed pretty clear that he had no idea what to do with them, but he sat there none the less as if to make it clear that he was in charge.

Just as Steph had clicked her last buckle, the jet's engines roared to life and they started off. Steph found herself in a half daze as she watched the world around them drop away. She strained to see the ground below her and saw it moving rapidly underneath them. She had never felt such excitement before! Such thrill running through her veins. Her breath was practically sucked out of her as they traversed across woods and farms.

The excitement didn't wear off even when Storm announced that they were almost there. Steph tore her eyes away from the scenery to the others. Kitty was smiling at her.

"Was the trip short enough for you?" she asked.

"How long have we been flying?"

"A few hours." Steph's eyes widened. "A few hours?!"

Kitty laughed, a light silvery laugh that echoed through the space. "You've been occupied, I see."

Steph shook her head a little. _A few hours? Wow._ She turned her attention back to the window and spied a mansion growing closer. Figuring it was the school, Steph waited patiently for Storm to land the jet. Instead of landing in a clearing like before, Storm pressed a button and began circling the house. Confused, Steph craned her neck to look out. They hovered slightly over the basketball court in the back. But as it opened up to reveal and landing place underground, Steph understood…to a degree.

A couple minutes later, Storm told the three other teens to help Steph find a room to put her stuff in and then show her around. Bobby grabbed her backpack and they headed down the ramp Storm had lowered for them.

They entered a long, white, sleek hallway Steph pictured should be in some science fiction movie about scientists' secret laboratories. As they turned a corner, she caught sight of more of the black body suits that Kitty and Bobby still wore. Those two paused.

"Ro—Marie," Bobby said, stuttering slightly. "Why don't you take Steph upstairs while Kitty and I change. We'll be up in a few minutes."

Marie paused before nodding, sending a silent message to Bobby. She was about to lead Steph to an elevator when Steph interrupted.

"Um, I don't know if you guys can help with this," she started and they all focused on her. "But if any of you have a pair of dark sunglasses I could borrow, that would be great."

The girls said they didn't have any, but Bobby said, "I don't have any, but I know someone who does."

He slipped through a round doorway that opened when he stepped in front of it then closed behind him. Steph glanced at Marie, but she just shrugged.

Moments later, the door opened again and Bobby stepped out with a pair of sunglasses in his hand.

"Try these," he offered. Steph stared at them. The frames were thin and were curved to fit around the face. Unlike any other pair of sunglasses, the lenses of this pair were bright red instead of black. Steph took them carefully to see if they fit. She was surprised when she found she could see almost normally out. With lenses this thick, she thought it would be just a red world when she put them on.

Steph nodded her approval. "Thanks."

Marie stared at her in slight revulsion. "Bobby," she muttered under her breath, but everyone could hear her. "Those were Cyclops'."

"He's not here anymore," Bobby stated in a clear voice. "What's the point of having these lie around when he's gone?"

Marie didn't respond, but it was clear she disapproved. "Come on," she told Steph after a moment's pause. "I'll take you upstairs."

Steph followed behind her after Bobby handed her backpack to her and then he and Kitty went into another room to change. Marie and Steph went up an elevator hidden in the wall. When the door opened again, Steph felt like she was in another world completely. The walls in this hallway were a rich, brown wood with paintings hanging on them. The floor was warm with mixed tiled patterns with a long carpet stretching in the middle of it.

Marie led her down the hall to a set of stairs where they met two other students headed down. Marie said hi and they gave their hellos and nodded to Steph, eying her glasses for a moment.

After two sets of stairs, Marie brought Steph to a door and opened it. Inside was a modest room furnished with a bed, dresser, nightstand, desk, and a couple of chairs. A closet was in one of the smaller walls next to the door.

"There aren't any available spaces in any of the larger rooms the girls share so you'll have to use this one alone for a while," Marie explained as Steph set her things down to examine everything closely.

"That's fine," Steph replied, turning to her. "I don't mind being alone."

Marie nodded. "Do you need help unpacking?" Steph shook her head. "Well, if you need anything, my room is two doors down on the left, this side. I share with Kitty and another girl just so you know."

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

Marie turned to go but stopped to tell her, "Someone will come get you for dinner, either Kitty or I, so make yourself at home."

With that, Marie slipped out, closing the door behind her. Steph stared after her for a moment then walked up to the door and bolted it. Ripping off the shades, Steph tossed them onto the bed where they landed without a sound.


	4. The Gang

**OK, so I couldn't help myself. I started writing this chapter right after I finished chapter 3.  
Anyway, hope you all enjoy. We'll have to see what goes on the next week or so, but I'll try to update every few weeks or so, depending on how much homework I have and if I have any ideas.**

**AdorningLives**

A knock on her door startled Steph as she finished unpacking

A knock on her door startled Steph just as she finished unpacking. Unlocking and opening it, she found Kitty standing with another guy outside. Kitty smiled at her.

"Peter and I came to get you for dinner," she said cheerfully. She then turned to Peter and introduced the two. Peter gave a smile, only lifting one side of his mouth. Steph liked his appearance immediately: tall, broad, probably very fit, with dark hair and dark eyes. If she had never envisioned tall, dark, and handsome before, Peter was the perfect picture of it.

Steph snatched her shades and left with the two for the dining hall. Peter was friendly enough, though his deep voice made him seem rougher than he actually was. Steph knew she would enjoy being in his company.

When they entered the dining room, Steph suddenly felt the gazes of all of the students already there, about 20 or so. She shifted her position as Storm came in behind her.

"Everyone," she said in a loud voice, and Steph knew _exactly_ what was coming. With a hand placed on Steph's shoulder, Storm said, "This is Steph Reynolds. She's going to be staying with us until she decides whether or not she wants to live here at the school. Please make her feel welcome and at home."

_At home,_ she thought, _there weren't a bunch of mutant kids no one wants running around. What am I doing here?!_

Kitty led the way to three seats at one of the smaller tables in the spacious room. A couple of guys and a girl were already sitting there. One of the guys had blue hair and pale skin. The other was normal-looking with blonde hair and pale eyes. On the other hand, the girl had dark hair and medium toned skin and wore a tight shirt and hoop earrings.

"Steph, this is Mark, Antonio, and Jubilee," Kitty introduced. The three each said their hellos and Steph nodded. Antonio offered the empty seat next to him and Steph took it, not wanting to be rude. Kitty sat beside her and Peter next to her.

"Like I was saying," Mark continued the conversation as if the three had never interrupted, "if Iceman doesn't get right, she'll end up leading him around like a trained dog following its master."

"That's a little harsh, Mark," Antonio responded. He draped his arm casually over the back of his chair, acting cool. The sides of his mouth twitched as he said, "But I don't blame you if you're jealous of him."

Mark, blue hair spiking in all directions, set his jaw and played ignorant. Antonio grinned, clearly getting the response he'd wanted.

"You guys all think you're so cool," Jubilee butted in, her first words since their arrival. "All you think about is being cool, saving the day, and getting the girl."

"Au contraire, my dear Jubilation," Peter joined in. "We guys have much more on our minds than that."

"Yea, like sex," Steph muttered to herself, hoping no one heard. By the way no one reacted, they didn't. Except Kitty. She choked a little on her glass of water, trying not to laugh. Peter smacked her back and the water spit from her mouth all over the table.

"Holy crap, Kitty!" Mark exclaimed, standing quickly, having been sprayed a little. "What was that for?"

She was coughing and couldn't respond. Steph stepped in with, "Peter smacked her too hard on the back."

Everyone turned to him, and he just shrugged. "I don't know my own strength."

They all groaned. Steph started to help clean up the water when Mark stopped her.

"I'll get it," he said, and stretched his hand across the table. Steph watched as the water, almost like magnets, lifted off of the tablecloth and into his open palm, leaving no trace of wetness whatsoever. When all the liquid was in his hand, Mark squeezed it into a fist and the water dissolved into thin air.

"Nice." Mark grinned at Steph's comment and sent a look at Antonio.

"See?" he said, gloatingly. "_Someone_ thinks my power is cool."

"So you can absorb a few drops of water, big deal." Antonio had clearly seen his act several times before and was not easily impressed.

"Well, when I find you trapped and about to drown in the Danger Room, I'll remember not to help you."

Antonio didn't respond. Kitty jumped at the chance for a new topic.

"So, Steph, after dinner would you like a tour of the mansion?"

"I'd be happy to take you," Antonio interrupted, then added, "if you'd like." Steph smiled partially. "Maybe."

Kitty smiled as Storm came in through a door that looked like it led into a kitchen to announce that dinner was ready. All of the teenagers and kids—there were only a few—rose to stand by one of the walls. A buffet table stood along the wall, allowing the group to take and eat what they liked from the selections.

Steph followed Kitty to the other end of the dining room. Antonio walked behind her and Steph noticed how tall he really was. But being only 5' 5" caused all guys to seem tall. Antonio stood more than half a head taller than her. As they stood waiting in line, Steph figured she would have to be careful if she decided to get out of this penthouse.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Bobby and Marie coming in. They carefully picked their way across to the end of the line. Marie said something to Bobby then headed straight for Steph.

"Would you like Bobby and me to show you around after dinner?"

Steph was speechless for a moment. These people all seemed easily excited about giving tours of their school to new people.

Before she could answer, Antonio said, "I already offered."

Marie got a glint in her eye and smiled. "Really? Well, I'm sure you won't mind being joined by two more, now would you, Toni?"

"I guess not," he said, but reluctantly. Steph looked at him but his face was expressionless.

"Good." With that, Marie turned on her heal and joined Bobby, who had saved her spot in line.

Steph turned to Antonio. "What was that all about?"

"What do you mean?"

Steph rolled her eyes, thankful he couldn't see them. "I am talking about you not wanting Bobby and Marie to help show me around."

"I don't not want them to come," he protested, but his voice betrayed him.

"Double negative," she commented. To his confused look, she added, "It's a pet peeve."

"Whatever," Antonio said. He motioned for them to move forward and they did. He then told her, "Look, it's not that I don't like them, I just don't like being around the two of them at the same time."

"Why not?"

He opened his mouth then shut it quickly. After a few silent moments, he said, "Let's just say that they don't make the best couple."

Antonio didn't continue so Steph didn't push the subject. Through her mutation, she felt his negative feelings towards the pair. She felt something else in him too, but it was too small to be recognized.

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"So, Steph," Antonio began casually once they were settled back at the table. All of them were there including Bobby and Marie, who now sat across from Steph. "What's your gift?"

Steph was confused. "My gift?"

"Yea, your mutation."

"Oh." She paused, trying to think of a way to phrase it. "Well, I can feel what other people are feeling in their hearts, like if they're content with life or if they have hard feelings towards others, something like that."

Antonio nodded for her to continue. She took a bite out of her pasta salad, giving her more time to think. Steph swallowed.

"I don't really know how to put this…" She struggled to figure out a way to put her power into words that wouldn't freak the others out but still warned them of her danger.

"Just spit it out," Bobby said from across the table. Marie nodded, eager to learn with the others. Bobby and Kitty already knew, but wanted to hear it again obviously.

Taking a deep breath, Steph said carefully, "If I make eye contact with anyone, I learn their deepest fears through visions."

Everyone stared at her for a moment. Finally, Mark asked, "How does that work?"

Steph shrugged. "I'm a mutant, like anyone else here," she said simply.

Antonio looked skeptical. "If you can see my deepest fears, then show me."

Steph's eyebrows rose so high that everyone could see her shocked expression. "Are you crazy?" she asked. "I could kill you!"

Silence surrounded the table. No one looked at her except Kitty, Bobby, and Antonio.

"How could you kill me?" he asked after a while.

"I don't know," Steph shook her head. "But even if I made even the slightest eye contact with you, you would experience torture beyond anything you've ever known."

By now, even Bobby and Kitty weren't looking at her. Marie spoke up. "Does it have the effect of life being sucked out of someone?"

Steph turned to her, and saw sad eyes staring at the red lenses covering her own eyes, wondering how Marie could have guessed.

"Yes," she replied, nodding. "How did you know?"

Rising, Marie swiftly excused herself from the table and left the room. Bobby was about to go after her, but Kitty stopped him.

"Let her go," she said. "She'll be fine."

Bobby slouched in his seat and stared at his half eaten dinner plate, likely not to be touched the rest of the meal.

Antonio cleared his throat and rose. "Well this has been a cheery meal, but I'm afraid I must excuse myself as well and go do some of my summer reading."

"But you hate reading," Mark remarked.

"Exactly." Pointing at Steph, Antonio said, "I'll come get you later for your tour." Without waiting for an answer, he left through the swinging doors.

Stunned, Steph turned to Kitty. "Is he always that outgoing?"

Kitty rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You have no idea."


	5. Tour

Steph walked down the hallway to the main entrance. There was no one around at the time. Almost everyone had gone off to do their own thing or to hang out in one of the recreation rooms. Even though she didn't know her way around, Steph was usually pretty good at finding her way around…or at least the front door.

Passing the rec. room, Steph heard laughter from behind the cracked doors. She paused outside, listening to the chatter of the students. A strange feeling passed over her and she wished that she could be with them in there, talking and having fun. But there was no way that was going to happen.

Sighing softly, Steph quickly walked to the door and slipped out, hoping no one saw her.

A warm breeze greeted her as she shut the door behind her. Steph looked up into the sky, a small smile playing on her lips. She made her way around the to the back of the property.

Looking around, Steph saw that there was no one in sight. Slowly, she pulled off the strong sunglasses to get a full _real_ view of the garden.

Steph walked a little further until she came upon a small cleared section. It was wide and rectangular shaped. In the very center of the rectangle stood three gravestones. One stood higher than the other two and was more elaborately decorated.

Curious, Steph stepped up to the larger gravestone. Steel-plated onto the stone was the head of a man. He was bald but his face was kind. Step felt a deep sense of humbleness in his expression, one determined to help and provide.

Below the head was the name Charles Xavier with the date of birth and death at the bottom.

"So this was the man who made a haven for mutants," Steph said to herself, touching the steel face.

"He was more than that," a voice said from behind her. Steph spun around to see Wolverine standing a few paces away. She quickly turned away and put the sunglasses back on. He took a few steps forward and placed a handful of flowers into a vase next to one of the smaller graves. The name Jean Grey was carved into it in delicate lettering.

"How so?" Steph asked, staring at the graves. Wolverine didn't respond at first. After a minute, he replied, "He was a father to most of us, and a grandfather to all the kids. He told us that living here was our own choice, but that he would help us in any way he could."

Wolverine's face hardened with sadness. Steph could see pain in his eyes.

"How did he die?"

He suddenly whipped his head to face her and glared at her hard. Then, as if in an apology, he turned and walked back toward the front of the mansion.

Steph watched him go. "Well so-rry," she said quietly. "Excuse me for opening my big mouth."

After a moment, she turned back to the graves and looked at the third one. "Scott Summers," she read aloud. Biting her lip, Steph thought that the name sounded familiar, but didn't know from where. She glanced at the date of death. Wait… Wasn't that the same as the other two? She looked at the others. Nearly the same. All of their deaths had been within a few days of each other.

Her senses suddenly picked up two presences nearby. She knew who they were and called out, without turning around, "You don't have to sneak around. I know you're there."

They stepped out from behind a tall bush and Steph swiveled her head to see. Marie and Bobby walked slowly forward until they stood beside Steph. Marie held flowers in her hand, which she placed in the small vases beside each gravestone.

After standing in silence for some time, Bobby finally turned to Steph and asked, "Do you want your tour now?"

Steph shrugged, but followed the two when the headed for the house. They entered through a back door into the kitchen. There was no one there except for a couple of guys who had apparently missed lunch. They said hi to Bobby and Marie, who introduced them to Steph. They nodded and welcomed her warmly, but Steph could see their gazes were directed toward the glasses.

Bobby led them through the doorway into the hallway. Pointing through a doorway, he told Steph, "That leads to our main classroom where Storm and Dr. McCoy teach most of the classes for the students. Wolverine teaches in the garage with all the cars and bikes. We'll show you that later."

Steph followed the two in silence through the whole tour of the mansion. What they didn't show her was the elevator shaft that they had come up in from the jet.

"Hey, Bobby," Steph said, stopped them. Bobby turned around as well as Marie. "Do you have any idea if anyone brought my truck from the highway?"

"I don't," Bobby replied. "But I think I know who would."

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"Yea, I brought it up from the highway after dinner," Peter said when Bobby had come to ask about Steph's vehicle. "It's in the garage, if you want to go see it."

Steph shook her head. "That's ok," she responded. "I'll take your word for it." Turning to Marie, she asked, "Do you mind if I go back to my room? I'm kinda tired."

"Sure. I'll take you up."

Steph thanked Bobby for the tour and headed upstairs with Marie. Once in front of her door, Steph thanked Marie and was about to walk inside when Marie stopped her.

"Do you know who Scott Summers is, Steph?" Marie asked softly. Steph shook her head. "I only mention it because you look so much like him with those glasses."

"I'd never heard of him until today," Steph responded coolly, opening her door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll lie down and decide my next move."

Step entered her room and closed the door without waiting for a reply from Marie.


	6. New Friend, New Hope

"Urgh!" Steph moaned as she tossed again for the countless time that night. After leaving Marie outside, she had spent her time going through her few belongings: a picture of her parents when they were young, her journal, a couple of books, and her hand-held mirror. Steph had spent quite a lot of time staring at herself in the mirror, but with her shades still on. Another thing about her mutation was that it also worked against _herself_ as well as others. Any time she met her own gaze in a mirror, she was tortured by images and dreams. When she had first discovered this, the pain and torment had lasted for nearly an hour because she couldn't remove her gaze from her reflection. Only when her aunt had burst into her room about the screaming was she forced away from the mirror. Since then, Steph had never looked at her reflection without sunglasses to protect her.

In the end, Steph had thrown out the hand-held mirror and lay down on the bed. But sleep didn't come.

With another groan, Steph hopped out of the bed, slipped on her shades, and slinked quietly out of her room. She crept down the hallway silently, making sure that the floors would not creak. She reached the stairs and headed down towards the kitchen.

Entering, Steph found Wolverine sitting at the counter with a root beer bottle in his hand. He glanced up when she entered and asked, "Can't sleep?"

Steph shook her head, her dark curly hair falling across her shoulders. "I rarely sleep," she answered and took a seat across from him. "What about you?"

"I had a lot on my mind." He took a swig of his soda. Steph nodded and didn't pry. Wolverine gestured toward the fridge. "If you need something, help yourself."

Steph stood and opened the door. There were plenty of drinks inside, sodas and juices. But she wasn't really in the mood.

"Where do you keep your glasses?" she asked, closing the fridge door.

"In that cabinet," he replied, pointing to the one closest to her. Steph opened it and grabbed a glass. Filling it with water, she said, "I don't know if I'll stay here."

Wolverine didn't respond as she drank deeply. When she was finished, Steph said, "Well, see you tomorrow, Logan." She turned to go, but heard he asked in a low voice, "How do you know my name?"

Steph looked back at him, confused. "Didn't Ororo mention it to me when she introduced you guys?"

Logan shook his head firmly. "Hell, she didn't!" His voice had risen.

"Look," Steph said firmly, fully facing him. "It's not like I asked to be a mutant: I just am. I am the same as any other student in this school just with different powers and a different personality. If I could just go somewhere where I could be free of my mutation for just two minutes, I would be happy!"

Logan didn't respond for a minute. Then, gently touching her bare arm, he lead her up two flights of stairs, past the girls level and onto the boys. They walked down the hallway until they came to the farthest door. Logan lifted a hand and knocked gently on the door. After a moment's pause, it opened to reveal the face of a young boy with no hair and an innocent face.

"Hey, Jimmy," Logan greeted the kid. "Mind if we come in?"

"Sure, Mr. Logan," the boy called Jimmy said and widened the door for them. They stepped into the room and Jimmy closed the door.

Logan pointed at Steph. "This is our new guest student, Steph Reynolds. Steph, meet Jimmy, the latest addition to Xavier's School for the Gifted."

"Hi," Jimmy said, smiling a little.

"Hi," Steph said back, uncomfortably. There was something wrong with this boy. For one thing, being in the same room felt awfully funny, like something was happening to her that she was ignorant to.

"Go ahead," Logan said, motioning to her face. "Take off the glasses and look me in the eyes."

Steph began to protest. "But my powers—"

"Don't work with me," Jimmy interrupted softly. Steph stared at him. "What?" she whispered, disbelieving.

"My power is that I take away the powers of other mutants when they're within a certain distance of me," he explained. "You're safe from whatever you fear will happen."

Steph looked from him to Logan, who stared at her. Somehow feeling she could trust them both, she carefully removed her glasses, not looking at them yet.

"Come on," Logan encouraged. "Look at me."

Steph slowly lifted her gaze until it was level and even with his. Nothing happened. Steph blinked and stared at Jimmy. Nothing. There were no images, no terror, no screaming, absolutely nothing.

Steph's lips parted slightly. It took her a full minute to realize that, for once in her adolescent life, she had no reason not to fear hurting someone with simply a look.

"Well?" Logan asked when she didn't say anything. "How does it feel?"

"Like freedom," she replied, a smile touching her lips. She looked back at Jimmy and said to him, "You're a blessing for a mutant like me. Never be ashamed of your gift."

Jimmy's face brightened. "That's the greatest compliment anyone could ever have given me," he said. "Feel free to drop by any time."

Steph felt a huge grin spread across her face. "I will."


	7. Demon and Angel

"Ok, ok!" Steph said loudly from behind the bathroom door. "I'm coming!" Towel wrapped around her head and fully dressed, Steph emerged from the bathroom off of her bedroom and rushed to the door where someone had been pounding for the past minute.

"What?" Steph kept her gaze low, as she had not grabbed her glasses from her nightstand. Antonio stood in the doorway, an arm leaning against the frame.

"Hey," he said, taking a step back. "I just wanted to say sorry for not being able to show you around."

"That's ok," Steph replied and pulled the towel from her head. "Bobby and Marie showed me the place. It's really something."

"Yea, something." Antonio stuck his hands in his pocket and shifted his feet.

Steph ran her fingers through her damp hair. "Something else you wanted to say?" she asked.

"Yea, actually," he began slowly, fingering through his blonde hair. "See, Ms. Monroe asked me to bring you downstairs. They need to talk to you."

"About John?" she guessed. Antonio nodded. Sighing, Steph grabbed her glasses from her nightstand and followed him.

Once downstairs, Storm, Logan, and someone she had yet to meet met them. But she figured it out.

"Steph, this is Dr. Hank McCoy," Storm introduced, motioning to the man standing beside her. Dr. McCoy held out his hand and Steph shook it. He wore a nice business suit and spectacles. His hair was curly and blue like the rest of him, including his eyes. His face was friendly with a hint of sternness to it.

"Pleasure to meet you, Stephanie," said the doctor.

"Likewise," Steph replied.

When he let go of her hand, he continued with, "I'm sure you're wondering why we asked to speak with you."

"It has something to do with John, right?"

Dr. McCoy and Storm exchanged glances while Logan just glared.

"He's come out of his stupor," Storm said for all of them.

"And?"

"I'm afraid," Dr. McCoy said sternly, "that there is nothing we can do for him right now. All he says is, 'Send her down here' constantly."

Steph didn't flinch. Antonio stood beside her, but at an angle to watch them all.

"We were hoping you could go down and see how he would react to your presence," Storm added. "Maybe he'll calm down and come back to us."

"What do you mean, 'Come back to you'?" Steph asked, raising an eyebrow at them. "Was he a student here like everyone else?"

"Yes, but it's more complicated than that," Storm answered. "But that's not the point. We really need your help with this. If you can't help him, I'm not sure who can."

Steph crossed her arms silently. "He doesn't deserve help," she muttered. "Not after betraying you."

Logan suddenly spoke up. "And how is it you came across this information?" he asked sternly. "Are you psychic as well as terrifying?"

Steph's anger flared as well. "I don't know!" she nearly yelled. "I just do! Whatever anyone tries to hide from me, I know. It's that simple. Fears, desires, hates, loves, everything." Steph lowered her voice. "That's the reason I dropped out of school and came here: because I thought you people could help me find a way to deal with this so that I can live a relatively normal life without having to worry about killing anyone!"

No one said anything for a long while and Steph began to wonder if she had gone too far.

Storm finally said, in a quiet voice, "We'll do everything we can to help you with your situation, as we do with all the students. But in the case of John, we're the ones who need your help if we're going to get through to him."

Steph silently dropped her arms. "Alright," she said. "But don't expect me to work miracles. I'm only human."

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Steph watched as John writhed in the chair he was bound to as Dr. McCoy stepped into the white medical room. Everyone else stayed outside for and watched the doctor try to speak to John. He just yelled. They could hear him through the closed doors.

"Bring her here so I can kill her!" he shouted, sweat beading down his face and bare chest. "I swear I'll kill her with my bare hands!"

Dr. McCoy glanced at Steph through the small window in the door. Taking a deep breath, Steph nodded and went through the door.

Immediately, John's screams stopped. His eyes widened with terror and hate.

"You!" he whispered hoarsely. John gestured as best he could with his hands still bound to his quivering body. "Look at what you did to me!"

Steph did her best not to look but failed. John continued, louder this time with a bite to each word. "You almost killed me! What do you plan to do about it?!"

Step didn't answer right away. "What do you want me to do?" she asked him in a softer voice than his. "Do you want me to apologize and find a way to make everything better? Or should I just put you out of your misery now and really kill you this time?"

John cried out. "Go away! I hate the sight of you! I hate that you torment me always; in my dreams and when I'm awake all I see are those two black pits of death you have for eyes." He started to calm down a little and his voice lowered. "I want you to go away. But I know that if you do, I'll only be tortured more and worse than before." His eyes misted over and he blinked hard so that he would not cry. "Don't leave me," he whispered, staring at her. "Stay here. Don't go."

Steph's heart was torn. Here was a young man who had nearly died because of her, who had declared his hatred for her, and yet practically begged her not to leave him.

Again, John pleaded, "Don't leave me. I'll die if you do."

After a moment of emotional struggle, Steph finally nodded. "Alright," she said and stepped next to his chair. "I won't leave."

Though most of the anger had remained, John's face relaxed some as he closed his eyes. Within seconds, he was breathing steadily, asleep and without dreams.

Steph looked up across the bed at Dr. McCoy. He nodded proudly.

"You did the right thing," he told her. He nodded to the door, which opened, allowing the others to come in. Along with Storm and Antonio, another young man now stood at the end of the bed. His short blonde hair spiked up at the front and his face showed a rare kindness. He wore a thin, white T-shirt and loose jeans. But it was neither his face nor his clothes that caught Steph's eye.

A pair of large white wings folded gently behind him, protruding from his back. Steph had never seen any mutant so beautiful or wonderful as him. He was surely an angel sent from heaven, not just a metamorphosed human.

"Steph, this is Warren Worthington," Storm introduced. Warren held out his hand to Steph. She shook it all the while staring at his large wings.

"Nice to meet you, Steph," he said, a shadow of a smile on his face. "I've heard about you from some of the students."

"Oh?" Steph raised an eyebrow and glanced at Antonio. He shook his head. "From which students?"

Warren shrugged. "Bobby, Marie, Kitty, the usual guys."

"Hmm."

Storm asked the guys to step outside for a minute. They did so, but not before each tossed an unrecognizable glance Steph's way.

Once the door had closed, Storm said, "Steph, we need to discuss what you want to happen to your future."

"I figured that would come up sooner or later," Steph replied, leaning against a heavy-duty examining table. "But I had been hoping for it to be later."

Dr. McCoy joined in. "We just want to know what you would like to do. You are welcome to stay here if you want, but you'll have to take the required classes in case you decide to rejoin the world."

Steph shook her head firmly. "I'm not going back," she stated. "Nothing will make me."

Storm held up a hand. "That's alright, you don't have to. But you do need to make some choices that will determine your future." Her gaze locked onto Steph's covered eyes. "Do you want to stay here? Do you want to help other younger mutants find a future? Do you want to defend yourself and those around you against those who mean to destroy us?"

Steph shut her eyes tightly and ripped the shades off of her face. With a deep breath, she replied, "I don't want to hurt anyone. Ever." Lifting her face to the ceiling, Steph said, "I want to be useful instead of hurtful."

"Then this is a good place to be," Dr. McCoy said and smiled. Steph turned to him and nodded, feeling a peace wash over her that she had never before felt.


	8. Mission

"Storm, I don't like surprises," Steph protested as Storm led her down an unknown hallway later that day. John had woken up, saying he felt like he had slept for twenty years without a single disturbance. Dr. McCoy had brought him something to eat, as he hadn't had anything since before Steph found him. While he ate, John told her that he felt well enough and strong enough for her to leave. But not for too long, he'd said. Steph promised to return after a couple of hours.

"Few people do," she countered but continued onward. "Besides, I think you'll like this surprise."

Steph grimaced inside, trying to make out the shapes in the hall. Doors, pictures, statues, more doors. It was becoming old fast.

Finally, Storm opened a door and led Steph inside. Florescent lights, casting few shadows, brightly illuminated it. There were glass cases all along the sides of the long, narrow walls. In each case, standing tall and firm were many of the suits that Kitty, Bobby, Storm, and Wolverine had all been wearing when they encountered Steph. They were the same, for the most part. Storm's outfit had a long silver cape attached at the base of the neck and at the end of each sleeve.

Upon closer inspection though, Steph discovered that each mostly black suit had different accent colors along the seams. As she stared at them each, she began to name each person to whom the suit belonged.

"Pink is Kitty," she said, pointing. "White, Bobby. The sleeveless one is Peter's. Yellow, Logan…" She stopped. There were more, but she didn't know with whom to place them. There was a red one, a blue one, and a plain black one.

She pointed to the plain one. "Who's suit is this?" Steph asked.

"That was Marie's," Storm explained.

"Was?" Steph raised an eyebrow.

"She doesn't go out anymore," was all she offered.

"And the blue one?"

"Scott Summer's, or Cyclops as he was better known." A hint of sadness crept into her voice.

"Who was he?" Steph found herself draw to this unknown person, whom she had heard about but knew little.

Storm sighed and stared at the suit. "He was one of the first students here. The professor trained him like no one else. Cyclops had laser vision more powerful that anything man-made. But somewhere along the line of his training, he lost control of the beams. He always wore glasses…" She paused.

"The ones I'm wearing right now," Steph put in. Storm nodded.

"He had another set for when he was fighting that he used to control the power of the blasts that came out. But he could never again look at anyone with his naked eye without destroying them."

_Like me,_ Steph thought to herself. "How did he die?"

Storm stiffened, but answered, "He was killed by the only woman he had ever loved, but who had only returned his love half-heartedly."

"Jean Grey?" Steph ventured. Storm nodded. "You've been in the garden."

"Did the red suit belong to her?"

"Yes," Storm replied. "Until she became Phoenix."

Steph nodded. "I remember hearing about that. She was a teacher here?"

"Before she lost control of her powers." Storm explained, "Jean had amazing gifts; she was telekinetic and telepathic. In that way, she was more powerful than even the professor."

"She killed the professor, didn't she?"

Storm gave Steph a venomous glare. "Are you psychic too?" she snapped. Taken aback by the tone, Steph replied, "No, I just know things!"

"Well then, perhaps you should keep what you know to yourself for the time being." Storm turned away for a moment then said, "If you decide to come with us for any field work, you can use Marie's suit. She said for us to give it to the next person who needed it."

Steph nodded as Storm quickly left the room. Following at a slight distance, she listened as footsteps marched down the hall. Through one of the doors came Logan, Bobby, Kitty, Warren, Peter, and Antonio in a hurried fashion.

They stopped in front of the two and Logan explained, "We have a couple more stragglers making some trouble at Worthington Labs, and we've been requested by the Mr. Worthington to take care of them."

Storm sighed. "One would think after all these months of being sought after, they would have either turned themselves in or started afresh." Turning to Steph, she added, "You're welcome to come with us, if you're up to it."

"Are you kidding?" Steph replied with a smirk. "I wouldn't miss it."

They quickly suited up and Steph found that Marie's suit fit surprisingly well. The pants were a little short, but after tucking them into her own knee-high boots, they looked fine.

As they all made their way to the jet hanger, Steph swiftly pulled her hair up into a high messy bun. A few strands hung down around her face but they didn't bother her. Antonio watched her and remarked, "Do you color your hair or is it naturally like that?"

Steph knew he was talking about her red highlights, quite a contrast with the dark brown base.

"No, it's natural," she said as they boarded. Taking their seats, Steph found herself once again across the row from Kitty, who looked concerned, and even a little worried.

"Kitty?"

She looked over at Steph.

"Who exactly are we up against?"

Kitty sighed. "I'm not sure," she said. "All I know is that they escaped after their attempt to kidnap Jimmy. We've stopped most of them over the last few months, but there are always some still around."

Steph heard a grunt from Bobby in front of her. The jet's engines roared as she heard the sound of scraping metal above them. The basketball court hatch was opening. Steph felt the thrust of it as the jet rose and again when they took off.

After a few minutes of silence, everyone began to unbuckle and move around. Steph waited a moment before unbuckling her own seat.

When she had risen, she joined the others at the back end of the jet. Logan was standing there explaining what each of them was to do.

"Ice Man," he said to Bobby, "you keep them from escaping, but don't freeze them entirely. Colossus, stop them without making a mess, if possible. Kitty, if one of them looks like they might hurt someone, distract them. Angel, do what you can to help Kitty if she needs it. Antonio—"

Steph perked up her ears, as she did not yet know what Antonio could do.

"—stay here with Steph and keep an eye on the jet."

Antonio's face remained unchanged. Steph was about to protest, but Logan continued, "If Storm and I can't get them to cooperate, you can send a couple of psychic waves or something and get them moving."

So, Antonio was psychic, Steph thought. He must've been the one who alerted the X-Men about her in the first place.

"Isn't there anything I can do to help?" she asked.

Logan shook his head. "Not at this point," he replied. "Besides, you aren't trained to deal with people like this. You could get hurt or worse."

Steph frowned. "Maybe next time?"

"Maybe."

XXXX

After Storm landed the jet as close to the attack site as she could while still out of sight, she, Logan, Bobby, Peter, Warren, and Kitty all exited and made their way to the site. Antonio sat at the controls, listening as Wolverine gave orders through individual communicators. Steph sat in the seat behind and diagonally to his. She watched him as he stared out the window, watching them until they were out of sight.

Checking and adjusting some of the controls, Antonio asked, "Have you decided whether to stay at the school or not?"

Steph shook her head. "Not yet, but I need to soon."

"What are your pros and cons?"

Staring out the window, she sighed and didn't respond for a moment. "Well," she said finally, "it's safe for me. I can protect people from myself for the most part and be protected from the harsh prejudice of the rest of the world. But…" Steph paused. "I have no guarantee that I can protect the other students here."

Antonio turned around and looked at her. "Any other reasons?"

Steph glanced at him through distorted lenses before staring at her hands. "I'm _not_ going home," she said after a minute. "So I have no where else…" She trailed off. Something was wrong. Steph touched her head. It hurt. Badly. She looked at Antonio to see him holding his as well.

"They're in trouble!" they both said together.


End file.
